UN peacekeeper killed, four wounded in Mali
Bamako: One peacekeeper was killed and four others were wounded Sunday when a roadside bomb exploded in strife-torn northeastern Mali, the UN mission MINUSMA said.
The peacekeepers were carrying out a security patrol near the town of Aguelhok when the device detonated, spokesman Olivier Salgado said on Twitter. In January 11 Chadian members of MINUSMA were killed in an attack by jihadists in Aguelhok.
That attack was claimed by the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), which has sworn allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
MINUSMA has lost more than 200 peacekeepers since it was set up in 2013, according to its website.
Salgado said unidentified gunmen on Sunday targeted UN peacekeepers near the central town of Bandiagara in a separate attack, with no casualties. Northern Mali fell into the hands of jihadists in 2012 before the militants were forced out by a French-led military intervention.
But much of the region remains chronically unstable and jihadist-led violence has spread to the centre of the country, often sparking bloodshed between ethnic groups.
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Sudha Murty moves resolution to guarantee free care for children of 3-6 years
New Delhi (PTI): Rajya Sabha nominated MP Sudha Murty on Friday urged the government to take steps to guarantee free and compulsory care and education for children in the age group of 3 to 6.
The private member resolution moved by Murty said the government may consider amending the Constitution to introduce a new article Article 21B in this regard.
Moving the resolution, she said: "Children are our future. They are the rising Sun. Their early education should benefit their life. Hence I request through you sir to our government to consider amending our Constitution to give fundamental right to education from 6 to 14 years to 3 to 14 years."
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Murty said several parents who are not well-off are not even aware of the importance of Anganwadi education.
The government, the resolution said, needs to "work towards universal access to quality Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) through strengthening Anganwadi services, or through any other mechanism the government may deem appropriate, to ensure that all children receive equitable and holistic early childhood support."
The resolution also urged the government to take suitable measures to enhance delivery, training and support systems related to early childhood services, recognising their role in securing strong foundations for lifelong learning and development.
